Cooking Techniques - The Good Method

Traditional Roast Turkey (unstuffed)

1.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Check the wrapper to see how much the turkey
weighs and determine approximate cooking time (see chart
below). Remove the giblet bag and the neck from the turkey cavity.
No need to wash the turkey (see Wash Hands: Not the Turkey), pat skin dry with paper towels.

2. Place turkey breast side up on a rack in a shallow (about 2 inches
deep) roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer in thigh. Add 1/2 cup water
to the bottom of pan, if desired.

3. Cover turkey loosely with a tent of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Roast the turkey until temperature in the innermost part of the thigh reaches 165°F as measured with a food thermometer. Check the wing and the thickest part of the breast. You may choose to cook the turkey to higher temperatures. Cooking time will vary. For example, a 20 pound turkey will take 4 1/4 to 5 hours to cook, check the temperature on the thermometer after 4 1/4 hours.

4. Meanwhile, mix the stuffing or dressing. Place in a casserole and
pop it into the oven during the last hour or so of roasting time.

5. Remove the foil tent after 1 to 1 1/2 hours of cooking time to brown
the skin. Brush with vegetable oil to enhance browning, if desired.

6. A whole turkey (and turkey parts) is safe when cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook turkey to higher temperatures.

7. Allow the turkey to set 20 to 30 minutes before carving to allow juices
to saturate the meat evenly.

Note: Cooking times do vary. Why? There are many reasons - oven temperature
may not be completely accurate, the turkey may be very cold or partially
frozen, and/or the roasting pan may be too small which inhibits the flow
of heat. The USDA highly recommends use of a meat thermometer to determine
doneness of turkey.

USDA Roasting Timetable for Fresh or Thawed Turkey
at 325°F.

These times are approximate and should always be used in conjunction
with a properly placed thermometer.

Unstuffed

8 to 12 pounds

2 3/4 to 3 hours

12 to 14 pounds

3 to 3 3/4 hours

14 to 18 pounds

3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours

18 to 20 pounds

4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours

20 to 24 pounds

4 1/2 to 5 hours

Stuffed

8 to 12 pounds

3 to 3 1/2 hours

12 to 14 pounds

3 1/2 to 4 hours

14 to 18 pounds

4 to 4 1/4 hours

18 to 20 pounds

4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours

20 to 24 pounds

4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours

The USDA does not recommend cooking turkey in an oven set lower than
325°F.